To say Channel Seven has had a controversial year so far is an understatement.
The Spotlight scandal involving Bruce Lehrmann, a high-profile journalist who was fired for alleged inappropriate behavior, newsroom shakeups, the firing of a much-loved news anchor and the introduction of astrology and comedy into the news bulletin have caused irreparable damage to the network’s brand.
While all three commercial networks are facing financial crisis due to the continuing collapse of the television advertising market, Seven – which proudly calls itself “Australia’s number one” – is teetering on the brink of the most catastrophic decline of all.
That’s because, unlike Stan-owner Nine, Seven doesn’t have a streaming platform to fall back on once TV goes away, meaning it’s really going downhill from here.
Things are looking so bleak that there are already rumours that the Australian network could fall into foreign hands.
Whatever happens, 2024 will be remembered as the year everything went down the drain for Seven.
Lehrmann’s legacy
Channel Seven’s tumultuous year began in April with shockwaves following Bruce Lehrmann’s infamous Spotlight interview.
To say Channel Seven has had a controversial year so far is an understatement.
Spotlight secured two exclusive interviews with the rapist last year in exchange for a year’s rent on a luxury unit, worth around $105,000, ahead of his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson in the Federal Court.
Shocking revelations by former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach, made in a sworn deposition, prompted the reopening of Lehrmann’s defamation case.
Mr Auerbach had been instrumental in securing a couple of exclusive interviews for the current affairs programme from Lehrmann.
In a sworn statement to the court, Mr Auerbach claimed that Seven had paid or reimbursed the former political staffer’s exorbitant expenses, including accommodation, meals, medication and prostitutes.
Bruce Lehrmann is pictured being interviewed by Spotlight’s Liam Bartlett in 2023. The interview sent shockwaves throughout Channel Seven.
She also alleged in the affidavit that thousands of dollars had been charged to a company credit card to pay for Thai massages, against company policy and without the knowledge or consent of Mark Llewellyn, then the executive producer of the Spotlight show.
Mr. Auerbach tendered his resignation to Mr. Llewellyn in a November 2022 text message in which he confessed to spending $10,000 on the company credit card that had “nothing to do with work,” but made no mention of Mr. Lehrmann’s involvement.
The resignation was not accepted at the time and Auerbach remained at Seven until 2023, when his contract expired and was not renewed.
Seven and Mr Lehrmann denied the allegations, with Mr Lehrmann saying they were “a false and bizarre story from a disgruntled former Network Seven producer”.
Following weeks of damaging allegations, Mr Llewellyn left the network.
“I’m proud of Spotlight and proud of the dedicated team that makes it possible,” he said at the time.
‘I repeat that any suggestion that I had knowledge of, approved or arranged payments for illegal or unsavory activities is wrong.’
Llewellyn’s departure triggered a chain of departures in April, with Seven West Media chief executive and general manager James Warburton leaving the broadcaster two months earlier than expected and joined by Kerry Stokes’ right-hand man, commercial director Bruce McWilliam.
Lehrmann’s April ouster also marked the departure of Craig McPherson, the network’s director of news and public affairs and partner of Dancing with the Stars host Sonia Kruger, after nine years in the role.
Mr McPherson was replaced by Anthony De Ceglie, who was appointed News and Current Affairs Director and Editor-in-Chief in April.
Mr De Ceglie is responsible for Seven’s news and public affairs programs including 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show and 7NEWS Spotlight, as well as 7NEWS.com.au.
The Bondi Junction Massacre Mistake
In April, Seven’s Weekend Sunrise show was also thrown into chaos after an on-air gaffe mistakenly labelled a 20-year-old Sydney University student as a cold-blooded killer.
The error, which aired during the show’s April 14 episode, resulted in innocent Ben Cohen being mistakenly identified as the perpetrator of the Bondi Junction massacre instead of the real killer, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi.
Following the gaffe, several producers were ousted from the show and the network settled with Cohen for an undisclosed sum.
The stars have yet to align for AstroTash aka Natasha Weber’s (pictured) nightly horoscope readings. The segment has been criticised by Channel Seven viewers
Personnel restructuring
The revolving door continued to turn at Seven last month with another round of redundancies.
The network announced a reshuffle of its news leadership team, including a new news director in Sydney and new executive producers for Sunrise and Weekend Sunrise.
Sean Power has taken on the role of news director at Seven Sydney, replacing veteran news chief Neil Warren, who had been with the network for 32 years.
June also brought news that up to 150 jobs would be cut across Seven West Media’s TV and print divisions, as well as sales and marketing teams, and print staff.
Veteran journalist Robert Ovadia was fired after an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct
Ovadia and out
Another ugly scandal rocked the network last month when veteran journalist Robert Ovadia was fired following an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct.
Ovadia’s departure came after ABC Four Corners launched investigations into the alleged toxic culture in Seven’s newsroom.
Ovadia had been with the broadcaster for 23 years and after his departure it was reported that the allegations related to emails exchanged between Ovadia and a former Seven colleague four years ago.
The Daily Telegraph reported that a photoshopped image of a young female producer was at the centre of the decision to sack Ovadia.
The image is believed to show a cartoon version of the production company, but was not sexual in nature.
There is no suggestion the allegations have been proven and Ovadia has previously said they were unfounded and that he would defend himself.
Earlier this month, several insiders said there was now a tense atmosphere at the station, with some employees “miserable” and taking sick days to look for work elsewhere after a new regime took power intent on changing things.
Seeing stars
This change included the introduction of a horoscope segment in the evening news bulletins by renowned astrologer Natasha Weber, better known as AstroTash.
The network didn’t need to look to the stars to see the backlash, with one viewer posting on X: “Channel Seven news now includes a horoscope. What nonsense. Looks like they don’t really care about the news.”
Another wrote: ‘Seven News treats viewers like idiots with horoscopes.’
Here is Humphries
Channel Seven is also trying to lighten things up with a weekly satirical slot at the end of its Friday evening news bulletin hosted by comedian Mark Humphries.
After the first episode, many viewers failed to see the funny side, with one tweeting: “There’s just one problem with @7NewsSydney’s new 6:57pm news idea. It’s not funny.”
Humphries took the criticism in good humor.
“The worst thing anyone said about me that sticks with me is, ‘I look like a Ken doll gone wrong!'” she told 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed and Erin.
Others liked Humphries’ announcement. “A bloody triumph,” wrote one viewer on Instagram.
Veteran Channel Seven presenter Sharyn Ghidella (pictured) has been sacked by the network over her high salary, sources say.
Mark Humphries (pictured) saw the funny side of being criticized for his new comedy commercial
Ghidella left
However, viewers saw no humour in the recent sacking of veteran Channel Seven news presenter Sharyn Ghidella.
Ghidella, who had been the face of Seven News in Queensland since 2007, confirmed her sacking in an impassioned Facebook post.
She said her “tap on the shoulder” finally came as she was fixing her hair before going on camera, admitting it was something of a “relief” after several anxious weeks over media staff cuts.
Ghidella launched a final attack on the network in his post.
“I’m also not one of those people who likes to be served the evening news with humor and horoscopes, so to be honest, it’s time for me to go,” she said.
Ghidella was reportedly fired from the network because she was paid a much higher salary than her co-host Max Futcher.
Commenting on the changes at Seven, De Ceglie told Daily Mail Australia: “If people think we’ve been inventive so far, they haven’t seen anything yet.”
Time will tell.